Mortuary affairs collection - September 11: Bearing Witness to History

Mortuary processing kit.

The 311th Quartermaster Company worked in teams to process personal effects recovered from the Pentatgon. This kit includes identification and storage materials.

Location: Pentagon

Source: Transfer from the U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Personal Effects Depot, Fort Myer

-Tin with paper money and coins
-Pentagon office equipment and personal possessions
-Flagpole finial

Mortuary affairs collection
Description: This collection of material from the 311th Quartermaster Company (Mortuary Affairs) includes a unit sign, personal effects identification book, mortuary processing equipment.

Context: The 311th Quartermaster Company (Mortuary Affairs), a U.S. Army Reserve unit from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, was rushed to Fort Myer to assist with the recovery of remains from the September 11 Pentagon attack. Within 72 hours of their departure from Puerto Rico, they were working side-by-side with the FBI in the Pentagon's north parking lot, sifting through tons of debris for the remains of victims. After completing that task, the company shifted operations to nearby Fort Myer, Virginia, and went to work identifying and cleaning personal effects to be returned to survivors and the families of victims.


	311th sign Members of the 311th Quartermaster Company Mortuary Affairs Division carried this sign to Fort Myer, Virginia, from their home base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Transcript: 311th QM. CO (COLL.) (MA.) AGUADILLA, P.R.

	Personal-effects binder Binders with photographs of unidentified personal effects were assembled by the Mortuary Affairs Division so that materials could be returned to survivors and families of victims. Transcript: PENTAGON UNASSOCIATED PERSONAL EFFECTS REGISTER The [...]

	Unidentified material slated for destruction by the Mortuary Affairs Division. Transcript: Unknown Destruction Box #2420 1 BAG, Broken, Soiled

	Protective gear worn by the 311th Quartermaster Company Mortuary Affairs Division.

	Rubber bucket used to decontaminate material found at the Pentagon.

	Baby wipes used to clean material found at the Pentagon.

	Scrub brush used to clean and decontaminate material found at the Pentagon.

	Toothbrush used to clean material found at the Pentagon.

	Uniform This uniform, including shirt, trousers, and beret, was worn by Major Andrew Williams when he worked with the 311th Quartermaster Company on the Pentagon recovery effort.

	"We walked into this room which was essentially a warehouse of material..." Jennifer Locke Jones Collections Specialist, Armed Forces History

	"...they would gently clean the material..." Jennifer Locke Jones Collections Specialist, Armed Forces History

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